Andy Peebles

Andy in 1982 wearing a

Radio 1 blazer

With George Best 1984

Andy in 2002

"While I was studying a course in hotel management in Bournemouth, my year arranged a college dance and I put myself forward to DJ the disco. It led to two nights a week and then full-time work as a DJ.

"I progressed to MC and DJ at nightclubs in London, Bournemouth and Manchester and two years later, in 1973, I began broadcasting a regular Soul Show on Piccadilly Radio.

London born Andy Peebles began his career as a club DJ in the '60s. From being a founder DJ on local Piccadilly Radio in the North West, in 1978 Andy joined Radio 1 and moving back to London to present a variety of daytime shows, his own soul show and the popular My Top Twelve. He became the regular presenter from 1983 to 1989, and in 1984 it was renamed 'My Top 10' to allow more star chat in the programme. Amongst the hundreds of guests on his shows were Huey Lewis, Roger Taylor, Paul Simon, Bros, Debbie Harry, Lisa Stansfield, Cliff Richard,  George Best, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins,  Francis Rossi, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Samantha Fox and Bryan Adams

For his Friday evening show, Andy called upon sporting heroes such as Ian Botham, batsman Sir Leonard Hutton as well as wicketkeepers Bob Taylor and Godfrey Evans. He narrated the popular Record Producers series on Radio 1 during the early 1980s.

In the thirteen years he spent with the BBC in London he also broadcast for British Forces Radio and for the World Service, combining this with his other passion, sport. In addition to his musical commitments, Andy has commentated on cricket for the BBC for over twenty years. He later was heard on Saturdays on Manchester's Smooth FM and London's Jazz 102.4.

Tribute

On 23rd March, 2025 Andy Peebles' close friend Mike Read announced that Andy Peebles had passed away aged of 76, with his colleagues paying tribute to the him online. Fellow radio host Mike Read shared the news and wrote: "Devastated to hear the news about our chum Andy Peebles who passed way today. He was about to join us at Heritage. We joined Radio One together. Knew his music & cricket inside out. Raise your bat & enjoy a long rest in the pavilion. We lunched recently with DLT & Adrian Juste. Great innings."

1979 - Andy's weekday afternoon show with What's on

Introducing Newsbeat

Andy Peebles show Christmas Day 1979 32kbps mp3

Intro to Manilow (1980)

Peter Powell hands over to Andy (1980)  

Mike Oldfield on My Top 12 (1983)

Staying Alive in Paris (1987) (32kbps mp3)

Trailer for Andy's Friday music & Sports show 1987

Andy requests you to listen to his Soul & Blues show at 10Pm

Soul Train Trailer Saturday Nights

Soul Show theme In the Stone by Earth Wind and Fire (1 min)

New Transmitter 98.3 Cardigan Bay Dec 1989

Traffic News Dec 1989

Andy hands over to Alan Freeman (1989)

Last in BFBS Soul_Train Series  1985.mp3

The Lennon Tapes

Andy recorded a 3 hour interview with Beatles legend John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono in New York on 6th December 1980, just two days before John was murdered by Mark Chapman. The interview was subsequently broadcast, with music, not just on Radio 1 but around the world. A comprehensive, entertaining and stimulating look back at the frenetic fourteen years since John met Yoko. Here are some short extracts where John's humour, honesty and love for Yoko Ono shine through.

The interview was planned in 1980 as a landmark five- part series for Radio 1, produced by Doreen Davies and Paul Williams. John was relaunching his career with an album Double Fantasy, after an absence of five years.  Andy later said  "John went through all sorts of emotions in front of me during the interview, but generally I found him positive and enthusiastic about everything".

See also; Star Guest Shows